Armstrong finalist for chief in Southborough

Holden Lieutenant David Armstrong has been named one of four finalists for the position of police chief in the town of Southborough.

Armstrong has been employed at the Town of Holden Police Department since 1985. He was promoted to sergeant in July 1998 and to lieutenant in July 2009.

He is a 1977 graduate of Wachusett Regional High School and holds a bachelor’s and master’s in criminal justice from Anna Maria College and a master’s in public administration from Clark University.

Armstrong was, for many years, the resource officer for WachusettRegionalHigh School.

The chief position in Southborough is now occupied by interim chief Jane Moran, who is one of the four finalists. The other two candidates are Lt. Hipolito Nunez from Westfield and Lt. Paul Shastany from Framingham. The candidates were chosen from seven finalists by the search committee on Sept. 30. There were 32 applicants for the position.

Armstrong and the other candidates will now be evaluated by the consulting firm BadgeQuest before the Southborough Select Board makes an appointment.

The position would require Armstrong to relocate to Southborough or an abutting community.

The Southborough position became vacant when Chief William Webber died of pancreatic cancer in November 2008.

Armstrong’s current boss, Holden Police Chief George Sherrill, said he’d been informed by Armstrong all along that he was applying for the position.

“I believe it’s been his goal and aspiration to move up the ladder. I commend him on his efforts. If anything it’s a great learning experience for him to go through assessment center and interviews,” Sherrill said. As for the possibility that Armstrong could be offered and accept the position? “Our loss would be their gain.”

Sherrill commended Armstrong for going the extra mile to educate himself during his years in Holden